Stanley Clarke at Jazz Alley, Seattle

Anyone else catch one of these amazing shows?
Clarke played with a trio, a 23 year old keyboardist and a 22 year old drummer and they SMOKED! It was beutiful to watch those huge hands draw music out of that Alembic and his upright. About half the set was on upright and I actually preferred that. The sound was better (he had a neuman 47 at the brigde and a pickup) on the upright and it felt like Clarke's playing was more focused and intense on the upright. He pounded it and blasted up and down the neck with blazing speed. It was cool because during solo sections and interplays with this amazing young drummer he didn't hit all the perfect notes but it was so expressive that was secondary. With time too, they used dropped beats to build tension and wandered off and then came back in ferociously and perfectly. So much fun, so much energy with these young kids proving themselves to SC and him mentoring them and loving them and encouraging them to push it far and wide. It was an astonishing hour set. Then they did an encore and went to the back for steaks and changed their clothes and went back on and did it again for another hour.

I was seated next to the stage and a music stand was in the way so i couldn't see SC's hands all the time but i just watched his face and his eyes. I could hear him calling encouragement to his bandmates and laughing with them. I moved around so I could see his hand and just couldn't beleive how big he was and how he just cradled his bass and band with love and utter connection.

Great venue too for those of you who haven't been, nice nightclub. A little spendy but if you can get out to see this tour, do it you won't be disappointed!